Spool holder



Patented Aug. 12, 1941 Hugh?. Ray, Mount vRoyal,Quebec,- Canadafasi signor to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application June 21, 1939, Serial No. 280,298, which is a division of application Serial No.

648,414, December 22, 1932.

Divided and this application March 26, 1940, Serial No. 325,957

6 Claims.

This invention relates to spool holders, and more particularly to spool holders for wire spooling apparatus, and this application is a division of copending application Serial No. 280,298, (PatentNo. 2,224,001) led June 21, 1939, which latter application is a division of application Serial No. 648,414, filed December`22, 1932, now Patent No. 2,032,950.

An object of the invention isto provide a simple, inexpensive and reliable spool holder for wire spooling apparatus and the like.

In accordance with the above object, one embodiment of the invention contemplates the provision of a spool holder comprising an annular disk attachable to a spool driving member, the said disk having a plurality of resilient radial arms of which alternate ones are bentsubstantially at right angles to extend axially in one v direction and the other arms are bent to extend axially in the opposite direction. The resilient arms are adapted to provide suicient pressure against the inside of the drum of a spool to drive it.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in

Which- Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional View of a spool holder embodying the invention, and

Fig. 2 is an end View thereof.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown in Fig. 1 a portion of a suitable supporting frame Ill, in which there is rotatably journaled a driving shaft II, only a portion of which is shown. A spool holder I2 embodying the invention is attached to the shaft by means of anut I3 thread- .ed on the end of the shaft. This spool holder is formed from a sheet of spring steel and comprises a body portion in the form of a ring or annular disk I4 with six equally spaced radial arms extending therefrom. Three alternate arms I5, I5 are bent substantially at right angles to `extend outwardly and each is formedv with an embossment on the end thereof, as shown at I6. The other three arms I1, II are bent substantially at right angles to extend inwardly and each is formed with an outwardly projecting flange or shoulder on the end thereof, as shown at I8.

The sheet steel from which the spool holder is formed is of sufficient thickness to insure proper springiness in the arms I5 to permit sliding a spool over the embossments I6 at the ends of the arms and, when the spool is in position against the flanges I8 o-f the .arms I1, to provide sufficient spring pressure against the inside of the drum of the spool to drive it. As Clearly shown in Fig. 1, the embossments I6 serve as yieldable retaining means for holding the spool against the flanges I8. These embossments, however, do not prevent quick withdrawal of the spool from the holder. Thus, a simple and inexpensive spool holder is provided, which saves time in that it permits changing of spools without removing any spool fastening elements such as heretofore employed.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular embodiment thereof herein illustrated and described, except insofar as is defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A spool holder comprising an annular disk portion having a plurality of integral circumferentially spaced radial arms extending therefrom, the alternate ones of said arms having portions extending substantially perpendicularly to the plane of. the disk portion in one direction, and the other arms having portions extending substantially perpendicularly to the plane of the disk portion in the opposite direction.

2. A spool holder comprising a sheet metal disk portion having a plurality of resilient arms extending radially thereof, said arms being bent intermediate their ends so that the outer end portions thereof extend substantially at right angles to the plane of said disk portion, and spool retaining embossments formed on the outer ends of said bent portions.

3. A spool holder comprising a sheet metal disk portion having a plurality of integral resilient arms projecting radially thereof, said arms being bent intermediate their ends so that the outer end portions thereof extend substantially at right angles to the plane of said disk portion for engaging the inner surface of the drum of the spool.

4. A spool holder composed of a single sheet of resilient material and comprising a disk portion attachable to a spool driving member and having a plurality of resilient arms extending radially therefrom, said arms being bent intermediate their ends so that the outer end portions thereof extend substantially at right angles to the plane of said disk portion for driving' engagement with the inner surface of the drum of the spool, the said end portions being formed with embossments for preventing accidental displacement of the spool.

5. A spool holder composed of a single sheet of resilient material and comprising a disk portion attachable to a spool driving member and having a plurality of resilient arms projecting radially thereof, the alternate ones of said arms having portions thereof bent to extend in one direction substantially at right angles to the plane of said disk portion, and the other arms having portions thereof bent to extend in the opposite direction, the bent portions of the first mentioned arms having outwardly extending radial ange portions at the ends thereof, and the bent portions of the other arms having spool retaining embossments for holding the spool against said'ange portions. f

6. A spool holder composed of a single sheet of resilient material and comprising a disk portion having a plurality of integral arms extending radially therefrom, said arms being bent intermediate their ends so that the outer end portions thereof extend in alternate opposite directions substantially at right angles to the plane of said disk portion, said bent portions being engageable with the inner surface of the drum of the spool and having the end portions thereof formed to prevent endwise shifting of the spool.

HUGH P. RAY. 

